The North American Wetlands Conservation Act: Working for Massachusetts
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) is an incentive-based, landowner-friendly program that fosters the development of public-private partnerships to protect North America’s migratory bird habitat.
NAWCA Positively Impacts the Economy and Creates Jobs Rocky Gutter NAWCA has benefited the national economy by translating $1.26 billion in federal funds into more than $5 billion in on- the-ground conservation and economic activity in North America. These expenditures have created, on average, nearly 7,500 new jobs annually in the United States, generating more than $200 million in worker earnings each year.
NAWCA Effectively Leverages Private Sector Funds Since enactment in 1990, federal NAWCA grants have lev- eraged more than $3.8 billion in partner funds. Partners have included thousands of landowners, private companies, conservation non-profits, federal agencies and all 50 states. NAWCA requires a 1:1 match, but partners at the local level often triple or quadruple federal funds. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service NAWCA Expands Recreational Opportunities for People In June of 2013, the Buzzards Bay Coalition The abundance of wildlife including many species of water- received a $75,000 NAWCA grant in order to protect fowl, migratory birds, fish, and mammals supported by wet- lands translates into multi-billion dollar activities for Americans and restore 350 acres of vital wetland habitat for migratory birds and other waterfowl and wildlife who enjoy hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and photography. around Buzzards Bay. The federal grant was matched by $225,000. NAWCA Benefits Hundreds of Wildlife Species Buzzards Bay, its watershed, and surrounding NAWCA helps fulfill the mission of the North American Wa- wetlands provide important nesting and wintering terfowl Management Plan by providing migratory birds with habitat for migratory birds, as it is a crucial section of essential habitat needs. NAWCA projects also benefit other fish the Atlantic Flyway. This area also supports a plethora and wildlife species, including rare, threatened and endangered of other important wetland-dependent species. species that are dependent on wetlands ecosystems. Recent minor oil spills and increased development on wetlands in and around the bay have Conserving and Restoring Wetlands Increases Water reduced habitat quality, increased the presence of Quantity and Quality pollutants and lead to overall degradation of this key Wetlands store water and recharge aquifers, thus securing fu- ecosystem. Protection and enhancement of this freshwater environment will benefit wildlife and ture water supplies. Plants and soils in wetlands play a signifi- humans alike, providing healthy and nutrient-rich cant role in purifying water, removing high levels of nitrogen habitat while supplying cleaner water for surrounding and phosphorus, and in some cases, removing toxic chemicals areas. before entering the groundwater supply. Some wetland plants have been found to accumulate heavy metals in their tissues at 100,000 times the concentration in the surrounding water.
Massachusetts Massachusetts currently has 37 NAWCA projects either completed or underway. These NAWCA projects have conserved a total of 6,627 acres of wildlife habitat. NAWCA funding of more than $14.5 million stimulated partner contributions of more than $47.4 million. Projects:
Title NAWCA Partners Total Acres
1. ALLENS POND $385,000 $488,500 $873,500 122
2. ALLENS POND II $495,000 $1,028,000 $1,523,000 232
3. NORTH RIVER TIDAL FRESHWATER MARSH $50,000 $97,000 $147,000 82
SALT MARSH REST & ENH - PLUM ISLAND SOUND - 4. $50,000 $62,500 $112,500 100 GREAT MARSH
5. O'KEEFE ACQUISITION $35,000 $65,000 $100,000 25
6. NULANDS NECK ACQUISITION $50,000 $450,000 $500,000 110
SALT MARSH REST & ENH - PLUM ISLAND SOUND - 7. $45,000 $50,000 $95,000 50 GREAT MARSH
8. THE GANSON TRUST LANDS $50,000 $337,800 $387,800 215
9. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: CHAPIN WHITE $1,000,000 $2,044,700 $3,044,700 321
BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: NASKETUCKET BAY 10. $285,000 $1,156,853 $1,441,853 113 FIELD & MARSH
BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: NASKETUCKET BAY 11. $1,000,000 $3,118,000 $4,118,000 252 VIVIEROS
GOOSE POND WILDLIFE REFUGE RESTORATION & 12. $36,450 $87,200 $123,650 100 ACQUISITION
13. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: NASKETUCKET BAY II $1,000,000 $2,210,000 $3,210,000 176
14. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: WESTPORT RIVER $1,000,000 $2,335,000 $3,335,000 207
FITZGERALD LAKE CONS. AREA & SAW MILL HILLS 15. $50,000 $62,000 $112,000 100 CONS. AREA
16. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: DIKE CREEK $1,000,000 $1,887,000 $2,887,000 267
BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: INNER BAY 17. $800,000 $1,840,711 $2,640,711 192 RESTORATION & EDMUNDS
18. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: SLOCUMS RIVER $300,000 $1,200,000 $1,500,000 93
19. BUZZARDS BAY WETLANDS PROJECT $35,000 $35,000 $70,000 20
20. UPPER GREAT MARSH TIDAL MARSH RESTORATION $45,000 $45,200 $90,200 150
WETLAND HABITAT RESTORATION AT WOODBRIDGE 21. $58,740 $63,500 $122,240 23 ISLAND 22. THOUSAND ACRE SWAMP CONSERVATION PROJECT $74,800 $365,500 $440,300 413
23. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: CORNELL FARM $689,600 $4,500,000 $5,189,600 323
24. BUZZARDS BAY: MATTAPOISETT RIVER WETLANDS $75,000 $380,000 $455,000 116
SHEFFIELD-EGREMONT AGRICULTURAL, ECOLOGICAL 25. $75,000 $3,920,000 $3,995,000 137 AND SCENIC CORRIDOR- WETLAND HABITAT
GREAT MARSH, PARKER RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE 26. $75,000 $141,992 $216,992 450 REFUGE
27. THE GREAT MARSH $1,000,000 $3,868,292 $4,868,292 563
28. THE PETER BERLE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AREA $75,000 $1,252,563 $1,327,563 201
29. BUZZARDS BAY: LITTLE RIVER $925,025 $4,240,000 $5,165,025 133
30. BUZZARDS BAY: LOWER WEWEANTIC $796,306 $806,100 $1,602,406 128
CHELSEA CREEK WETLANDS AND HABITAT 31. $1,663,150 $5,604,100 $7,267,250 24 CONSERVATION PROJECT.
32. GREAT MARSH HABITAT PROTECTION $1,000,000 $2,116,000 $3,116,000 209
BEAVER BROOK / BROAD BROOK WATERSHEDS 33. $75,000 $155,000 $230,000 96 HABITAT PROTECTION, NORTHAMPTON
EMERGENT WETLAND RESTORATION AT BURRAGE 34. $75,000 $299,100 $374,100 346 POND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
35. MATTAPOISETT RIVERFRONT $75,000 $400,000 $475,000 108
36. ROCKY GUTTER $75,000 $225,000 $300,000 350
37. BROAD BROOK HABITAT PRESERVATION $75,000 $473,128 $548,128 80
Totals $14,594,071 $47,410,739 $62,004,810 6,627
Massachusetts Massachusetts currently has 3 multi-state NAWCA projects either completed or underway. Multi-State These projects have conserved a total of 3,526 acres of wildlife habitat. NAWCA funding of more than $2 million stimulated partner contributions of more than $6.6 million. Projects:
Title NAWCA Partners Total Acres
CALCAREOUS WETLANDS OF SOUTHWESTERN NEW 1. $1,000,000 $3,081,910 $4,081,910 2,333 ENGLAND
QUINEBAUG HIGHLANDS NATCHAUG RIVER 2. $1,000,000 $3,428,157 $4,428,157 1,126 WATERSHED PROJECT
PARKER RIVER & RACHEL CARSON NATIONAL 3. $75,000 $108,620 $183,620 67 WILDLIFE REFUGES
Totals $2,075,000 $6,618,687 $8,693,687 3,526
For additional information please contact Ducks Unlimited, Inc.’s Governmental Affairs Office at 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 402, Washington, D.C., 20004 or call (202) 347-1530.